NOLS Blog
Love and EB: a NOLS Valentine Story
Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, is the one day on the calendar dedicated solely to love and connection. It conjures up cards and gifts, candy and flowers, time spent together, and—in some circles—questions about relationships’ origin stories. At NOLS, I learned when I sat down with a few couples, more than a few romantic partnerships begin…
Outdoor Leadership Programs for High School Students: Why Wilderness Matters
Parents searching for summer opportunities face an overwhelming marketplace of camps, programs, and experiences. Sports camps, academic enrichment, ...
Why Teens Need Leadership Skills: A Guide for Parents
Every parent wants their teenager to succeed—good grades, college acceptance, a fulfilling career. But there's something that predicts ...
Ship’s Log: Sailing in Greece’s Ionian Sea Alumni Trip
After a few days of moderate winds, good introductory sailing and island exploring while making our way to the north coast of Kerkyra along the southern border of Albania, a change in the weather was on the horizon. With the forecast in mind, we tucked into the protected harbor of Gouvia just north of Old…
Teen Gap Year Programs: Adventure-Based Options for Before College
The traditional path says: graduate high school, start college immediately, don’t look back. But a growing number of families and college admissions advisors are questioning this formula—and discovering that what looks like a detour often becomes the most valuable part of the journey. Gap year programs for teens have moved from the fringe to the…
Best Backpacking Trips for Teens: Wilderness Adventures That Build Character
Something happens when a teenager shoulders a pack, leaves cell service behind, and walks into the wilderness. Something that organized sports, academic programs, and traditional summer camps—though these experiences have their benefits—simply cannot replicate. Backpacking trips for teens offer more than adventure. They offer transformation. And for parents searching for experiences that genuinely change their…
Leadership Programs for High School Students: What Parents Need to Know
Your teenager stands at a pivotal moment. The skills they develop now—how they handle challenges, work with others, and step up when it matters—will shape their path through college, careers, and life. But here’s what many parents discover too late: traditional classroom settings rarely build the kind of leadership that matters in the real world.…
The Poley-Poley: A Chronicle in the Himalayas
It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop. —Confucius The air was thick. My strides were slow and purposeful, careful not to disrupt the group’s cadence. The thrill of spotting Everest Base Camp, still two hours away, motivated me to maintain the syncopated rhythm of deep breathing. Hypoxia…
Case Study: Injury on the Grand Canyon
The Setting You’re on day 12 of a 21-day Grand Canyon expedition, enjoying a well deserved stretch of flat water, staring at the canyon walls and not paying attention to what’s downstream. While enjoying the last of your morning coffee, you hear someone cry out from a nearby raft. You look over and see a…
Coralville Native Living the Small Life in Colorado
It’s easy to picture Jonathan Williams in his tiny house in a campground at the base of a Colorado mountain, staring through the skylight just above his head.
Montanans Spend a Year on Mars – at Least, About the Closest Thing to It
The final step in the HI-SEAS Mission 4 selection process was a camping trip in a remote area of Idaho run by NOLS. NASA and NOLS have a longtime partnership.
Expedition Leads Saratoga Native to Possible New Career Path
ForJerick Lee, a recent NOLS 38-day mountaineering and sailing expedition through the Pacific Northwest was more than just an adventure.
Life’s Big Adventure
William James took a National Outdoor Leadership School course in 2001. He realized he wanted to use his newfound outdoor skills to help people.
Know Wilderness First Aid for These 12 Injuries
Lance Taysom, a Wilderness Medicine instructor for NOLS shares advice for Wilderness First Aid in the backcountry.
Hundreds Rally for Public Lands in Wyoming
At the Public Lands Rally in Casper, Wyoming, National Outdoor Leadership School's John Gans, discussed the economic value of Wyoming Public Lands.
Straight Talk with Rachel Reich
I did a month long NOLS course in 2008. This trip provided my first exposure to alpine climbing when we attempted Mt. Baker and Mt. Shukshan, in Washington.
College Prep Pressure: Is the Finish Line in Sight?
Michaela Notice spent 15 days last summer canoeing, rafting, hiking and camping in Utah and Colorado, via the National Outdoor Leadership Program, (NOLS).
Wyoming Residents Voice Opposition to Public Lands Amendment
Groups representing a variety of interests, from conservation groups to sportsmen to the National Outdoor Leadership School, all were opposed to the amendment.
New Partnership Aims To Improve The Business Of Outdoor Recreation
Outdoor recreation is one of the top industries in Wyoming. NOLS and Flitner Strategies in Jackson partnered to form the Wyoming Outdoor Business Association.
An Irresistible Glow: the Hypnosis Of Bioluminescence
Lynn Petzold has seen her fair share of bioluminescence as an instructor for NOLS, including while leading a two-week kayaking course in the Sea of Cortez.
New Decision Results In Permanent Protection of the Wyoming Range
The USFS’s verdict settles that the Bridger-Teton National Forest is now off limits to any type of development; important habitat for wildlife is now protected.
